Process of making complete fertilizers.



JQHN R. YOUNG, or NOBFOLKVIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF Mllxm COMPLETE IFEBTILIZ EBS.

To all whom it may concern: if Be' i known that I, JoHN R. YOUNG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Nor- "-folk,' in the county ofNorfolk'and' State of Virg1ma,have invented a certain new and useFertilizer Compound and Process of Making Same, of which the followingis a Specification.

. issued September 1st 1908,.Ihave described My invention relates to themanufacture of an improved fertilizer 1n WhlCh nitrogenous organicmatter, such as refuse or waste matters of the packing house, fisheriesor other industries, suitable for use as ammoniates (as such term isuniversally under stood by the fertilizer trade), and vegetable matterssuch as hereinafter described, are employed as sources of ammonia andpotash and combined with tri-calcium phosphate i the fertilizer trade.

bone phosphate of hme and sulfuric acid; and the object of my inventionis to proenerally termed b g Y duce a single mixing operation, acomplete or special fertilizer containing all the essential princlples,or elements, required in plant growth, so proportioned and com bined asto meet the requirements of the particular crop, or crops, for wl11chthe,fertilizer may be intended, or to serve as a convenient baseforproducing special fer-' tilizers, as hereinafter explained.

*In my U. S. Letters Patent, No. 897,695,

and claimed a process of producing fertilizer, wherein I employ, chiefly:as am moniates, refuse or waste material of the packing house,fisheries,'or other industries (particularly tankage, fish scrap, orfish chum),"in the crudestate as it comes from the press, and with itscontained moisture (4.0 to 50% by weight) convert it into good 1physical and merchantable condition without the use of absorbents or theapplication of artificial heat, or other special drying process whichtends'to drive oil its eflective production; and wherein -I also utilizethis crude materiahas a vehicle. for the water required .in chemicalaction.due to com-v pounding therewith bone phosphateof lime andsulfuricacid, such'compoundin being effected in proportions and un er such,process is one which each ingredient'of v the compound isdecomposed bythesame' Patented Feb. 2, race.

conditions that the moisture of the crude ammonia'te is assimilated inthe compound to such a degree'that the mass, after bem allowed to'set asuitable time, has acquire the requisite physical condition for sale anduse;

In carrying out my" present invention, I

employ vegetable matter as a source of potash, principally'the refuse orwaste ma I terial of tobacco stemmeries known as ground tobacco stemsand, also, the refuse of the sugar-beet industry known as potash manure,and incorporate vegetable matter, in the ammoniated superphosphatedescribed in myaforesaid Letters Patent, by subjecting the combinedingredients, to wit: the potash-containing vege-' table matter, thecrude ammoniate, and the bone phosphate of lime, simultaneously, to theaction of the sulfuric acid, thus producing in a single mixing operationa complete fertilizer containing all the essential elements necessary tothe perfect development of plant-growth, to wit; ammonia, phosphoricacid and potash, in themost available form, and in proper condition forimmediate use. i

' The following ex lanation is important to )tures The former consist,principally, of

ammoniated super-phosphates and acid phosphate, containing ammonia andphosphoric acid only; the latter includes nearly all mixed fertilizers,or those containing. the

three important elements of plant food, viz.., ammonia, phos horic acidand, potash,.an dn termed comp ete' fertilizers. The fwet reagent, thewater required in the'reaction being supplied either with the acid! (asreduced or diluted acid) or added so aratel y.

The'produ ct' of the reaction is a uni orm and homogeneous substancecontaining the comishable in-- bined properties .of indistin gredients,and is termed a emical compound. The dry method consists in merelymixing the several ingredients of the fertilizer wit posing agent,whereby no chemical change is f out the prese'nce of a deeome e te ach nre e t e ini t T i sultin able features by employing I i mechanicalmixture its original condition and character.

Heretofore it has been considered unprot'- itable--i1 notimpracticable-to produce by wet processin one o eration-a complete orstandard fertilizer or analysis conforming to trade usage, or custom, asmany materials employed in making analysis and potash saltsespeciallycan not be successfully used in wet minture. For this i issue,in particular, complete fertilizers are almost in yariably prepared bythe dry method, which involvesseveral operations: Fi1'st,said phosphateis made (by wet process} and with th s material nitro nous matters,fish.

1 ammonia salts, or other ma requiredanalysis. All this not only addslargely to the cost. but the finished article, being of a mechani moreor less tin-uniform both cc mo Y. quaiitv.

My object is to overcome objectionaterial containrug potash, especiallyin a suitable form for wet mixing, and combine this material, thecrude-ammoniate and the bone phosphate of lime, by treating the mixturewith sule DOUISll out.

fKHIC acid, and thereby produce by chemreal action in one miningooeration a complete and erfect fertilizer cdntaining all the yaluableertilizing prcpert i of the several Ingredients insepar; in one uniformand homogeneous subs: of equired analysis suiting the purpose for whichthe fertilizer is intended.

This object I accompli h by employing vegetable matter, in whichcontained potash m the most desirable fornias titted or prepared bynature for the perfect development of vegetation or plant rowth, andfree fi'om the objectionable pron rties common to salts which oftenprove injurious to vegeta tron. Besides "h, vegetable matter usuallycontains i coin, or nitrogen. which is also in the most desirable formfor plant growth.

lVhile not limiting tu t-self to specific sources of potash, vegetablematters to which preference is given may be thus described: Groundtobacco stenis-or refuse of tobacco stemmeries after the tobacco issh-ippedis in the form of a tine dry powder, and contains usually from 6to 12 per cent. actual postash and from 2 to 4- per cent. oma (orequivalent nitrogen). Potash manurerefuse of the sugar-beet indusfi'yisalso in the form of a. powder,

, and is usually imported from Europe. It

rally mixed, Y

amass processes, because of its too ready solubility and loss, whenemployed according to my present invention in wet mixture with anammouiate such as undried press-cake 0t fish or tanlrage, and with bonephosphate, the potash-containing vegetable matter rcsponds favorably totreatment with sulturic acid, and Without loss, because the Wetammoniate supplies suflicient moisture to prevent carbonization of theorganic matter, yet not sutlicient to carry oil the potash.

The ground tobacco stems and potmanure in particular, I employ either orin combination. As each material 'ts own characteristic, or distinctive-s--one coinaining, in a i 1 other lacks l find, in pinkie-g. that moresatisfactory results are secured by using thetwo articles inC()Il'lblfliiil )Il-- in about equal parts-than when they arc employedseparately.

While not limiting myself to any particular nitrogenous organic matter,or ammoniate as this element is termed by the fertilizer trade, thisingredient of my compound may be fairly illustrated by the following:Fish scrap and fish chum as already pointed out in my previous patent,ms applied to the residue of fish a'l'tcr ready available.

'lanlrage is the sediment, or residue, of refuse material of thepacking-house. or other industries, remaining in the rendering tankafter the oil and grease have been extracted therefrom and the tankwater drawn ofi. After the material has been subjected to pressure, inorder to expel as much water as possible, the residue-0r press-cake asit is termedis crushed, or broken up, then passed to the drier, fromwhich it emerges as dried tankage. In condition as it comes from thepress, the crude press-cake usually contains 40 to -50 per cent.moisture and varying percentages of ammonia (as nitrogen) and bone phosphate, according to the nature of the material from which it isobtained.

Bone phosphate of lime may be obtained from any material containingsuflicicnt phosphate of lime, preference, however. be-

,ing given to phosphate rock, or animal cooked and having the oilextracted In the crude state, as

erases- 7 bone in any of its forms, as raw or steamed bone, tankage,bone-black, etc. It is im .portant that the material supplglilng bonephosphate should be dry and e y. pulverized. Sulfuric acidshould ;befull strength-preferably 66f Baum.

Asdifi'erent materials vary in percent. of ammonia, bone phosphate andpotash contained, the proportions of the several ingredients of thecompound may be varied to suit the .strength of the material employedand the per cent. of ammonia, phoshoric acid and potash desired in thefinished article. For'examplez It is desired .-'to make what are knownas 2--8- 2 goods, or a fertilizer containing 2 per cent. ammonia,'.8 percent. available phosphoric acid I and 2 per cent. potash. For one ton;of

mixture, I may take: 550 lbs. crude fish- (plain or acidula'ted)containing 5 to 6' er cent. ammonia, 4 to 5 per cent. 'availa lephosphoric acid and 50 per cent. moisture.

, 500 lbs. tobacco stems and potash manure" .in about equal parts, thecombination averaging 3 per cent. ammonia and 8% potash.

, 500 lbs. phosphate rock' of about 60% strength. in bone phosphate. 450lbs. sulfuric acid-about 66. Baum. Or, should 3-83 goods be desired, thefollowing formula would give the required analysis for a mud mixedgoods: 600 lbs. crude fish (either for'm) containing about'.7% ammonia,4 to 5% available hosphoric acid and 40% moisture. 400 bs.- phosphaterook-68 to 70% bone phosphate of lime.

600.-lbs. tobacco stems containing about 3%' ammonia and 10% potash. 400lbs. sulfuric acid-about ,66 test, 2000 lbs. This combination, havingpotash derived solely from tobacco, and, hence, in natures form, provesan ideal fertilizer for this crop, in

"particular.

o The two above'cases are given: merely astllustratmg the invention andthe invention is not limited to the soeclfic substances or proportions.

By mixing'po'tash and ammonia salts, or other material, with. thecompound (2-8-2, 3- 8 3, or other combination, as herein descrlbed)special fertilizers of higher grade, (adapted to truck crops inparticular) may beobtained. 1; Y

In carrying out the invention, I emplo the crude, or undried, ammoniatein'condit1on substantially as it comes from the press, and with thisaterialI incorporate pota'sh v containing vegetable '-matter,preferably.

.bone phosphate of' lime. These combined griiund' tobacco stems andpotash -manure smgly or combined, as alreadys ex plained-and alsomaterial supplying the anima ,vegetable and phosphatic matters are thentreated-ssimultaneouslywith strong sulfuric acid.

' D'es cribingthe is properly seasoned, or until the pile has tionbein'ght, dry and POIOllSr-I'BCllliI- ing butlitt emillmg or screening inits final preparation .for market. While the finished material'ma beused in 24 hours, it is desirable to a ow proper time for-it to season7, as it gains, thereby,' usually from 1} to i of one per cent. inavailable phosphoric acid, and also improves in condition b losing from2 to 4' per cent. in moisture. Vhen are properly adjusted, the crudeammoniate will supply only. the requisite amount of water to satisfythe'reaction due to d'ecomposi ters, and give about 10% ultimatemoisture in the finishedarticle.

.The compound resulting from the combination of ngredients named, andchemical action involved, is a complete fertilizer, con taining all theelements "essential to plant life fertilizing properties of the crudeammoniate and the described vegetable matter in than has, heretofore,been obtained by merely mixing these materials with acid phosphate bythe dry method. I- lay no claim tosuch mechanlcal mixture of separateand distinct materials with a comound, whereby -no. chemicalichangeis-efected, each ingredient retaining in the'mix- In my compound boththe-ammoniate and vegetable matte'r'are decomplosed with the newsubstance, uniform throughout, which of the several components,y'etcannot'be sep ent'is distinguishable from the other.

The advantages of myprocess'over' former methods, in ad v aforesaidpatent,-'may be thus summedu'p:

First; potash isvegetable 'form ---as prepared by iraturFhence isadapted: to pprfect developmen't'of plant hfe, and is lost its heat 'Thecompound will then be in' fine mechanical and merchantable condi-- andmakes available, especially, the valuable itiouto those et fortHin-my'recess more fullyi the ammoniate, vegetab e matter and bone phosa.phate" are placed in asuitablem1xer pref-- finished material is thentransferred to' the dump, or pile, where it remains until it theproportions of the, several ingredients I.

t'ion of the bone phosphate'and organic matmuch more effectiveform andconditionture its original conditionand properties.

Ibone phosphate and chemica yu'n'ited in a possesses the combinedvaluable properties arated orfbroken up.soi that one ingredifree frominjurious properties common to salts.

Second, potash is chemically united with other elements and is moreeffective than if employed separately, as a salt, in dry mixture.'lZhird, potash salts (muriate and kainite especially) containingchlorin, are injurious to certain crops, tobacco principally; whereaspotash in vegetable form (tobacco stems, especially, being expresslyfitted by nature for this purpose) proves an ideal food for thisparticular crop.

Fourth, potash salts draw moisture from damp ingredients, or from theatmosphere, and deliquesce, causing the fertilizer to set beco-mes hardand cakes in the bags. or packs in the pile when stored in bulk. Thevegetable matter not having this tendency, or property, the compound isalways in good conditipn for drilling-an important advantage.

Fifth, potash saltsmuriate and sulfate in particular-often cause injuryto seed, and also burn vegetation. In the form of vegetable matter,potash has no caustic, or other injurious properties, and can be pseplfreely without injury to either seed or Sixth, the vegetable matterbeing chemically united with other ingredients of the compound, thepotash is given up uniformly therewith-as required by the cropwhereaswhen used as a salt it is liable to waste, in being dissolved and washedout, before the other ingredients are sufiiciently decomposed in thesoil and become available.

Seventh, ingredients of compound (and especially vegetable matters)having Wide range in percentages of fertilizing elements, admit ofdifferent combinations, or formulas, by which various grades of completefertilizers, as herein described, are produced by one operation.

Eighth, in decomposing all the ingredients of the compound and therebyobtaining combins in the product, all the fertilizing properties of acomplete fertilizer, not only is secured greater uniformity inresultsboth in analysis and in the tieldbut a large saving in cost ofthe finished material is effected.

Ninth, a large per cent. of potash as contained in vegetable matter-isrecovered or converted, which, notwithstanding its being in the mostvaluable form as plant food, has not, heretofore, been given commercial.rating or valuation under an lytical methods as employed by theagricultural departments of the different States. The method adopted bythe official agricultural chemists for the determination of potash,gives value only to the water soluble potash, hence the manufacturer whouses organic or vegetable mapotash receives credit.

only a part of the potash which the goods actually contain, although allof this important element in organic form is available to the crop; forthis reason, in particular, vegetable, or organic materials carryingpotash, command relatively low market values. By my method of treatingpotashcontaining vegetable matter, this objectionable feature iseliminated, as all organic matter is decomposed by the acid and thepotash contained therein being thereby converted into a sulfate, becomeswater soluble; hence in the finished article all the lily inventiontherefore benefits both the producer and the consumer by opening the wayfor an increased use or consumption of valuable waste veg-e tablematerials of the class herein described.

The manufacturer, by rzicczving ere-cit tor all that ode contain, canuse these terials more largely, and can sell the Illll" finished articleat a correspondingly :eductd rice.

P Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim asnew therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The process of producing a fertilizer which consists in decomposingby strong sulfuric acid, tri-calcium phosphate together with undriedpress-cake of nitrogenous organic matter and potash-containing vcgctablematter.

2. The process of producing a fertilizer Which consists in mixing withtri-calciuxu phosphate, undried press-cake of nitrogenous refuse, andpotash-containing vegetable matter, and then decomposing the mixture bystrong sulfuric acid, supplying the water for the reaction from themoisture contained in the press-cake of nitrogenous refuse.

The process of produc ng a fertilizer which consists in mixing withtri-calcium phosphate, w ammoniate containing about 0 to 50 per cent.moisture, and vegetable matter containing potash, and then dccomposingthe mixture with strong sulfuric acid.

l. The process of producing a fertilizer which consists in mixing thefollowing ingredients substantially in the proportions named, to wit;about from 300 to 500 pounds finely pulverized bone phosphate of fi'om00 to 700 pounds of a suitable ammoniate containing about 40 to 50 percent. moisture, and from 300 to 500 pounds of strong sulfuric acid ofabout 66 Baum, agitating the mass until chemical action partiallysubsides, then allowing composition to set. terial in the raw state,receives credit forl 5. The process of producing a fertilizer,

which consists in mixing crude nitrogenous organic matter containingabout 40 to 50 per cent. moisture, and vegetable matter containingpotash, of the character herein der scribed, with finely pulverized bonephosphate of lime, and then adding to said mixture suflicient strongsulfuric acid to decompose the entire mass, producing in the reactionsoluble phosphates'o'f lime, sulfateof lime, sulfate of ammonia, sulfateof pot- 0 ash and sulfurous acid gas.

The foregoing specification signed at Washington, D. C. this 26th dayofAugust,

\ JOHN R.-YOU NG. 'In presence of two witnesses-i- HEBVEY S. KNIGHT,EDWIN S. CLARKsoN.

